Some of our guys are “beer guys”. They’ll give wine a try with certain meal elements, but they’re at home with their brew of choice. Some of our gals are “wine gals” (ok, really all of us), but our preferences vary widely on what we prefer to drink; some like it sweet, some not. Since our entire group is open-minded, our menu format includes a section for each Dinner Club that identifies “Recommended Beverages / Other Notes”. This is where, depending on what our plan is for the month, we get specific about drinks or beverages we’d like to have everyone contribute to the meal.
For example, when we had our “Russian Night”, we featured a vodka tasting bar. Each couple provided flavored vodka and the other necessary elements to produce a cocktail out of their assigned bottle. For Cuban, we all tasted mojitos; for Brazilian, caiprinhas; for Japanese, sake; and so on.
Typically everyone gives it a try, but there are no expectations in this group and most of the time we simply “bring our own” beverage of choice. Our policy is “drink what you love”. This should be the basis of any food and beverage (or in this instance, food and wine) pairing as a rule. More specifically, the rule is that “there are no rules” any longer on what you enjoy with your meal; red, white or pink; or beer, wine or water. This being said, if you’re seeking to expand your knowledge of wine or simply your range of tastes, it goes well beyond red or white!
As for our Dinner Club this weekend, our “aphrodisiac foods” night, I’ll be enjoying one of my favorites; pinot noir. This red wine pairs excellently with the tomato and pine nuts in the salad as well as with beef tenderloin, which you might already be aware has a less “beefy” flavor than some cuts and could easily be consumed by a stronger cabernet sauvignon. I’ve chosen pinot noir so that, hopefully, the flavor of each element in the chocolate port sauce, as well as the beef, will shine through. As for the soup course, I’ll delicately sip water during it. Don’t get me wrong, I think our strawberry champagne soup sounds divine, but it’s difficult to switch from red with my oyster appetizer, to white and then back to red again!
Were we having a different oyster dish, I’d be tempted to simply start my meal with white and then switch to red before the entrée, but I believe that the “Guinness hollandaise sauce” will be sturdier in its constitution than the more familiar variety and a red wine is appropriate. I’ve included the recipe below for our oyster appetizer as well as a terrific wine and food pairing chart that I received a few years ago at a wine tasting event. It’s a great reference guide for choosing wine to pair with different foods.
Be sure to watch my blog next week for photos of my tablescape (which I think is saucy and gorgeous) as well as food photos and commentary on how our dishes turned out. Thanks for reading!
Oysters on Creamed Leeks with Guinness Hollandaise
Updated and upscaled, this Irish version of oysters on the half shell with Guinness beer hollandaise sauce is easy yet elegant. The caramelized creamed leeks are the icing on the cake.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
· 24 oysters, shucked, with juice retained
· 2 Tablespoons butter
· 2 Tablespoons water
· 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, thoroughly washed and sliced
· 2/3 cup cream
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· .
· Guinness Hollandaise:
· 3/4 cup (1-1/4 sticks) butter
· 1/2 cup Guinness stout beer
· 3 egg yolks
· Juice of 1/2 lemon
Preparation:
Over a small bowl, shuck oysters, strain and reserve the liquid and the shells.
Combine the butter and water and cook over medium heat until butter has melted. Add the leeks and cook until slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cream and reduce until it thickens slightly, stirring continuously, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm in a bowl over hot water.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. In another saucepan over medium heat, combine the reserved oyster liquid and Guinness and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. With the motor running, add the egg yolks and lemon juice, then slowly drizzle in the melted butter and process until thickened.
Preheat the broiler. Place the reserved oyster shells on a baking sheet. Divide the creamed leeks evenly into the shells and top with an oyster. Spoon the Guinness hollandaise sauce over each and place under the broiler until the sauce is browned and bubbling. Serve 4 oysters per person.
Yield: 6 servings
Combine the butter and water and cook over medium heat until butter has melted. Add the leeks and cook until slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cream and reduce until it thickens slightly, stirring continuously, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm in a bowl over hot water.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. In another saucepan over medium heat, combine the reserved oyster liquid and Guinness and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. With the motor running, add the egg yolks and lemon juice, then slowly drizzle in the melted butter and process until thickened.
Preheat the broiler. Place the reserved oyster shells on a baking sheet. Divide the creamed leeks evenly into the shells and top with an oyster. Spoon the Guinness hollandaise sauce over each and place under the broiler until the sauce is browned and bubbling. Serve 4 oysters per person.
Yield: 6 servings
Here's that wine and food pairing chart (a refrigerator magnet I picked up) courtesy of Kendall Jackson:
